Pure Bliss
by ForeverSunshine13
Summary: I am the Spirit of Joy and Spring. I've been around since the world began. I'm the oldest of the Spirits. Mortals don't believe in me, they never see me. The other Spirits, the Guardians, never see me either. I'm devoted to bringing joy to mortals, nothing can change that. But when a certain Spirit of Winter finds me, I may be willing to compromise. *ON HOLD*
1. Prologue

**A/N Went to go see Rise of the Guardians and LOVED it! I mean, hello, Jack was hot! And a cartoon! How does that work?! Anyway, came up with this story and HAD to write it! I hope you all enjoy!**

_I woke up to the silver light of the moon shining down on me. Looming above me was a tall pine tree, its branches reaching towards the night sky. A warm playful breeze tugged at me, urging me to sit up and I did._

_I didn't know who I was or where I was sitting. My mind was completely empty; I had no memory of what my name was or how I came to be laying under a tree. But instead of feeling scared or confused, I only felt happy. I was strangely at peace, content, even joyful. _

_I stood up slowly, studying the clothes I was wearing. I had dark green leggings, a lighter green short sleeve tunic with a hood, a belt made from a daisy chain, and brown leather boots. The tunic and leggings were soft and flexible; the boots were sturdy yet fit my feet like a second skin._

_I was dressed for activity. Dressed for movement. Whatever I was meant to do, it would require moving around and being active._

_The faint sound of rushing water made me turn around. Behind me was a little stream, its crystal clear waters silver in the moonlight. I walked over to it and knelt on the bank, staring at my reflection in the water._

_My hair was the color of the sun, braided carefully down my back. My eyes were the brightest green I'd ever seen, sparkling like two jewels. My skin was smooth and tanned, with little rosy spots on my cheeks. I was stunning. _

_The moon seemed to get brighter and I looked away from my reflection just in time to be blinded by a flash of silver. Then the light returned to what it used to be and I was left blinking silver spots out of my eyes._

_When my sight returned to normal I noticed an old man sitting on the opposite side of the stream. He had pale skin, long white hair and a white beard, a white robe, an old stick in his hand, and two eyes that looked like liquid silver._

_He looked at me kindly, like a proud father. His face was open and wise, with a smile that made me feel warm and fuzzy inside._

"_Hello, child," he said, his voice deep._

"_You know me?" I asked._

_The man laughed and it was such a joyous, happy laugh that I laughed along with him._

"_Of course I know you," he said between chuckles, "I made you."_

_I stared at him, unsure exactly how to answer that._

"_You…made me?" I whispered._

"_Yes," he said simply, "You are my creation. Just like everything else."_

_He gestured to everything around us and I looked around in shock. He made everything, I thought, he made _me_._

"_Who are you?" I asked, my voice filled with awe._

_The man chuckled softly._

"_Who am I? I will be known as many things…but you may call me 'The Man in the Moon'. The mortals will know me by another name, but I am both. I am everything."_

_He smiled at me and I smiled back. The Man in the Moon, I thought, that should be easy enough to remember._

"_Who am I?" I asked._

"_You, my dear, are a spirit," the man said. _

_I frowned, not sure what he meant by that._

"_A spirit?" I questioned him, "What does that mean?"_

_He smiled again and I felt at ease immediately. _

"_You see," he said, "I have just finished creating this world and everything in it, including mortals. They are my favorite creation, but they are easily distracted by sadness and hardship. I need someone to watch over them, to remind them what's important. That's where you come in."_

"_How can I do that?" I wondered out loud._

"_By giving them joy," the man said, smiling even wider, "That is who you are! You are the Spirit of Joy and Springtime, which go hand in hand. You must remind them of the joy in life, you must chase away winter with the warmth of spring."_

_My mind spun imagining all the work that would require. Can I do it, I asked myself. Can I do my job faithfully? The warm happy feeling I felt when I first woke up came back with a force. Yes, yes I can, I thought. I am the Spirit of Joy._

"_I can do it," I told him._

_The man smiled like what I said delighted him more than anything._

"_I knew you could," he said, "But everyone needs help. I have some very special helpers for you, to help you bring joy to mortals."_

_The man stood up and from where he had been sitting, a golden light appeared and formed into the shape of a puppy with gold fur, huge silver eyes, and floppy ears. The puppy looked over at me then jumped across the stream to land in my arms._

_I instantly felt happy and joyful, even more so than I already was. I buried my face in the gold fur and breathed deep, the fur smelling like all the most wonderful things in the world. The puppy licked my face, tickling me till I giggled._

"_I thought you would like them," the man said, "There are many more like this waiting for you in your home. They hone in on any kind of happiness and enhance it…they also find those who are sad and try to cheer them up. Mortals can't see them, or you, but your aura radiates joy. You also have power to warm the weather and make plants bloom. It's your job to replace the coldness of winter with the warmth and joy of spring."_

_I nodded, knowing that even though it sounded like a lot of work, I would make it work. Joy was too wonderful a feeling not to share with everyone. There was just one thing I wanted to know._

"_Do I have a name?" I asked the man._

"_Of course you do," the man said, "Your name is Bliss. It means 'absolute joy'. I thought it fit, don't you?"_

_I smiled and nodded. _

"_Good girl," the man said, turning to walk away, "One day there will be more Spirits. You won't have to always protect the mortals on your own. You however, are the most needed right now and therefore the first. I wish you well, child."_

_Then with another blinding flash of silver, the Man in the Moon was gone and I was once again alone. The puppy suddenly jumped out of my arms, floating in the air. It barked at me, as if telling me something._

"_What?" I asked it, confused as to what it wanted._

_The puppy tilted his head and whined. It jumped around in the air then turned to look at me._

"_Do you want me to jump?" I asked._

_The puppy wagged his tail and barked excitedly. I took that as a yes and jumped. Instead of falling back to the earth, I floated on top of the air. I laughed with delight and it wasn't long before I figured out what to do._

_The puppy floated off and I followed him, not sure where we were going but trusted him to know. I wasn't exactly sure how I was going to do all I had to, but I knew it would all work out. The Man in the Moon said it would. I knew my purpose and most importantly, my name. Bliss. The Spirit of Joy and Spring._

_This is my story. _

**Yeah, the puppy was a bit random but puppies make everyone happy. I thought they'd be good joy bringers. I need a good name for them though…any suggestions? Besides that, what did you think? Review and let me know! I'm really excited about writing this! **

**~Sunshine**


	2. Ch1: Thoughts

**A/N Wow! I had over 100 emails from everyone that Favored and Followed this story and me. You guys amaze me! I'm so glad you all enjoyed this story; I hope I can keep that going with this one as well. **

_**Thousands of Years Later**_

The cold January wind whips by me as I fly through the air. It's almost midnight and my work for the week is done. I've been bringing joy to mortals all week without rest, and now it's time for a few hours of shut eye before I start again. Even a Spirit needs some down time.

The freezing temperatures don't bother me, my skin is always warm, but I do long for the warmth of the spring. I miss the wonderful smell of flowers blooming and the sound of laughter and joy. The winter, as beautiful as it is, is harsh and cold, sucking joy out of people and things.

I look forward to the day that spring will start to appear around the globe. Some places are never touched by my hand, they stay cold year-round, and some are always warm and never need my help. The other places, the ones that have both winter and spring, are kept on a tight schedule that I follow to make sure spring always appears when it's supposed to.

I have been around for thousands of years; bringing joy and warmth to the mortals who live on the Earth. My job never ends; there is always someone to cheer up or a spring to create. The Man in the Moon hasn't talked to me since the first time but I don't mind. I understand my mission; I know why I'm here.

The wind has brought me to the mountain jungles of Thailand, one of my favorite places to be. It lifts me high into the air, giving me a gorgeous view of the jungle in the light of the moon. Everything looks enchanted in the silver light and my heart feels lighter, responding to the beauty all around me.

I'm dropped off in the middle of the air, my feet coming down to rest on glass that has been suspended hundreds of feet up in nothing. Resting on the glass is a bed, a dresser, and a shower. This is my home, the place I can rest. It isn't much, but then I don't spend much time here.

The platform moves constantly, always finding new warmer places to be. The furniture is always changing too, reflecting the style of the cultures I hover over. Today it has a modern Thai flair with red and blue being the color schemes. The scent of Ratchaphruek, the national flower of Thailand, fills the air with its sweet smell.

It's good to be back.

I don't waste any time walking over to the shower where I strip down and step in. I turn on the hot water and relax almost instantly when the water hits my skin. I undo my braid and allow the water to soak through my hair. It feels absolutely wonderful to be able to completely wash away all the dirt and grime of my week of work.

I grab the rose scented shampoo I got at a mortal store and start to work into my hair. I'm so thankful for modern soaps because what they had for the thousands of years before was awful. This stuff is smooth, smells wonderful, and actually works unlike the nasty gunk everyone had to use only a hundred years ago.

Sometimes modern inventions even help out Spirits like me.

I quickly scrub my body down with body wash of the same scent before rinsing off all the colorful bubbles. I reach out and grab my clothes, leaving the belt behind, and pull them into the shower where I wash them off then hang them on the outside to dry in the air.

I now grab a towel that was hanging next to the wet clothes and dry myself off before wrapping it around me. I step out of the shower and make my way over to the dresser where I pull out a soft green cotton nightgown and tug it on. I set the towel on top of the dresser then crawl into bed.

The sheets are satin and the pillow is made from goose feathers, everything is soft, warm, and comfortable. But I can't sleep. I lay there quietly, staring up at the dark sky, all the little white stars, and the huge white moon.

A prickle I've felt a hundred times starts up in my chest. Loneliness. I've been alone since I was made; I haven't talked to someone who could actually hear me in thousands of years. The Caladium, my puppy-like helpers, don't talk and they're always gone giving joy to people.

I wish I could go hang out with the other Spirits. I know they're out there, I've heard about them and sometimes I catch a glimpse of one. The only thing that keeps me from meeting them is…fear. They are so different from me that I'm worried they won't accept me.

There are six that I know for sure are out there. Sandman, the Spirit of Dreams, Tooth, the Spirit of Memories, North, the Spirit of Wonder, Bunnymund, the Spirit of Hope, and Jack Frost, the Spirit of Winter.

The first four were all chosen by the Man in the Moon to be Guardians, Spirits' who devote themselves to protecting the mortal children of the world. All of them, actually, focus on children. That's one way we differ, I focus on everybody, I bring joy to every mortal whether they are adults or kids.

Another thing that's different is that each and every one of them used to be a mortal. They all once had lives, families, people that cared about them. I never did. I was created a Spirit, I never got to know what a family was like and that's one of the things I crave with all my heart.

And lastly, people believe in them. Mortals can see all the other Spirits because they believe they exist. No mortal has ever, or will ever, see me. Joy isn't something that's believed in; it's something that's always there and just isn't noticed anymore. I would love to be seen by a mortal, just once have someone believe I was really there.

I'm just so tired of being lonely.

The practical side of my reasoning comes back in a flash. Even if I was brave enough to meet another Spirit, I still wouldn't have time. I barely have time to take three hour naps every week and that's something that is necessary. I don't have time to sit and chat with other Spirits, Joy has to be spread!

Modern mortals just aren't that into Joy anymore, and that makes my job so much harder. They'd rather just have Pleasure and not Joy. Pleasure and Joy are very different things; Pleasure lasts for the moment and is easily forgotten. Joy lasts forever and it's always remembered.

Joy is when someone who was sick gets better, Joy is a parent holding their child for the first time, Joy is the feeling deep down when a boy and girl exchange their first kiss. It's a Pure, Sweet, and Innocent feeling that makes life worth living.

I don't understand why mortals would give up Joy for Pleasure. Pleasure is cheap and easy to come by but it never makes them a better person. Joy does. It makes my heart hurt to think that I'm slowly being cut out of the world and one day I might not be needed at all.

A single tear escapes my eye and rolls down my cheek and lands on my pillow. The Spirit of Joy crying? What a joke. I'm supposed to be happy, joyful, all the time. What's wrong with me? Why can't I just be happy and not worry about what's wrong with my life? Why can't I be like all the other Spirits?

I curl up in a tight ball and close my eyes. I push all my fears and worries away because I have to get some sleep. Mortals need my help whether they want it or not and I can't spend my precious rest hours fretting over things I can't change.

I have a job to do.

**I'm sry this chapter was so wordy, I was trying to set up Bliss's feelings about who she is in order to set up the stage for what's to come. Did it bore you guys out of your minds?** **Well, review and let me know. Reviews help me write faster! **

**~Sunshine**


	3. Ch2: A Day in the Life

**A/N Wow, guys, I'm blown away at the number of reviews, followers, and favorites this story has gotten! You guys ROCK! I hope you enjoy this chapter! And on a totally unrelated subject, any of you ppl watch Once Upon a Time? It's on tonight, Winter Finale, I'm so excited! :D**

I wake up slowly, stretching each limb with care. The sky above is still black, with tiny white stars providing the only light. I love the peace and stillness all around me, it makes all my cares and worries from last night seem to vanish. I feel much more joyful this morning.

I sit up and glance over at the clock on top of the small bedside table. 3:04 am Thailand time. I slept for three hours and twenty two minutes, a good restful nap in my book. I wish that I didn't have so much to do, that I could just sleep for another seven hours without having any responsibly to look after.

I would love to sleep the whole night through, just once, just to be able to know what it feels like to be completely rested. To be able to lie in bed and enjoy the warm, comfortable nest while awake without having to get up. To just be lazy for one day in my existence! Was that too much to ask?

I know though, that I can't. Mortals depend on me even if they don't realize they do. Without the Caladium and me, they would have nothing but sadness and depression in their lives. They would have nothing to live for, nothing to cling too in the hard times. My job is very, very important and I vowed to do it to the utmost of my ability.

No sleeping in and skimping on my duty for me.

I crawl out of bed and made my way over to the shower where my clothes are hanging. I grab them and make sure they're dry, they are. I take off the nightgown and throw it onto the bed. I pull on the leggings first then the tunic after; I look around for my belt and spot it lying on the floor next to my boots. I walk over to where they lay and pick up the belt, wrapping it around my waist.

The familiar buzz of joy inside me strengthens now that my symbol of power is on me again. I sigh happily; the belt always makes me feel a million times better. I tend to let my worries bother me at night when I'm not wearing the belt, when my joy levels aren't as strong. It's a relief to have it back in place.

I grab my boots and go sit down on the bed before I put them on. I'm clumsy enough without adding the one foot factor. I'd much rather be sitting down while I put on my shoes then standing up only to fall over when I try.

After the boots are on I reach over and grab the hairbrush that's sitting on top of the dresser. I start to work on the crazy curly mess my hair has become. I wince about every five seconds but it's soon tame enough to braid to keep it out of my way while I work.

I've tried leaving it down but that has only caused issues. It's actually really hard to fly with hair slapping you in the face and blocking your view every couple of seconds. Braids might not be the most attractive, but hey, it's not like anyone can see me anyway. Since I'm invisible to every guy, I go with efficacy over looking nice.

I lean over and kiss my pillow.

"See you in a week," I promise it.

I stand up and toss the brush on to the bed where my nightgown is. It's time to head to work. I back up till I'm standing on the edge of the platform. I take off running towards the other side and when I reach it, I launch myself off and into the air.

The feeling of free falling through the night air is unbelievable. There is nothing quite like it in the world. Warm air rushes by me as I fall towards the jungle, the trees getting closer and closer. I close my eyes, grinning from ear to ear and just enjoying the moment to the fullest before pulling up and stopping in midair, about ten feet before hitting the trees.

I lower myself into the jungle and look around for a banana tree. When I spot one, I float over to it and lay my hand on it, green dust coming from my fingers and soaking into the tree. The tree shakes then a whole bunch of bananas quickly start to grow. I pick a few once they're ripe and take my hand away, the tree going back to what it used to be.

When it comes to getting food, my springtime gifts are pretty useful. I can make any kind of fruit or vegetable grow, I just have to be sure to reverse the process or else it might damage the plant. Plants shouldn't be growing fruit in January and to leave them like that would destroy them because they wouldn't be able to get the nutrients they need.

I stick two bananas in my belt and start to peel the other one, revealing the light yellow fruit inside. The wind pulls at me, desperate to take me where I'm needed and I allow it to carry me away from the jungle. I bite into the banana as I fly, relishing the sweet flavor. As mortals say, it tastes better if you grew it yourself.

I quickly finished the first one and start on the second one. This is pretty much all that I eat, fruit and veggies that I pick up while on my way to bring joy to mortals. I've never had any kind of mortal food, nothing that wasn't fresh and grown from the ground. I hear mortal food tastes much better; it's just not as healthy. I like being fit and healthy, but sometimes I want just a taste of what mortals eat.

Finishing the last banana, I drop the peels. It's not littering because those peels will be used to fertilize other plants, making them stronger. I let the wind pull me away from Thailand; towards whomever it is that needs me at the moment. I don't try to fight it, I trust that it knows who needs me the most and will get me there in time to help them.

The wind starts to slow down and I glance around at where it's brought me. It's a small American town, its streets and houses covered with a fine layer of pristine white snow that sparkles in the late afternoon sun. The sharp scent of the pine trees that surround the town add to its charm, making me think of Christmas.

I stop, right above the town, and listen for the person who needs me, opening my heart for feelings of sadness and depression. There are quite a few small prinks but I'm looking for something bigger, something the wind wanted me to find. Then I feel it, a sharp ache that grabs my heart and squeezes it, choking it in a cloud of sorrow.

I follow where it leads, the closer I get, the stronger the feeling becomes. It takes me through the town and into a small neighborhood where kids are playing in the snow. I pass by snowball fights, snowmen with carrot noses, and perfect snow angles. Kids seem to be everywhere, laughing and having a great time in the freezing weather.

I don't understand what mortals see in winter, I don't see what they see. To me winter is miserable and cold, a heartless monster that is bent on wiping out any kind of life. It doesn't seem very joyful to me, but mortals somehow find ways to make winter a joyful occasion.

They really hit the jackpot with Christmas; the one thing about winter I like. I adore it. It's all about joy; it's basically the joy holiday. Mortals sing songs about joy, joyfully give each other gifts, and decorate everything! It's always sad for me when Christmas is over and I'm left with just plain old nasty winter.

The feeling intensifies when I come to a small brink house towards the end of the street. I land carefully on the porch then walk over to the door and turn the knob. It's unlocked. I glance around to make sure no one's looking, don't need anyone to see a door open and close by itself, before opening it and quickly going inside.

The house is quiet but I knew there is someone here, someone who needed a touch of joy to keep them from falling into despair. I make my way down the hallway, passing pictures of a family of three that lines the walls. Father, mother, and daughter who should be in her mid-teens about now.

I stop when I hear the sound of sobs, muffled and only slightly audible. They're coming from the room on my left, the door only half closed. I peek in and see the daughter of the family sitting on a window seat with something in her hand.

I slip into the room and walk over to the seat, looking over her should to see what she's holding. It's a small picture of her mother, creased with use. I touch her forehead, searching through her memories to find out what happened. Images and conversations from the girl's life pass before my eyes and I wince as I watch her mother die slowly of cancer.

"I'm so sorry," I whisper, even though I know she can't hear me, "I'm here to help you."

I shuffle through her memories again for any happy memories of her and her mother, things that they did together that holds a special place in her heart. I see both the daughter and mother laughing as they skate across a frozen pond two winters ago, right before the mother got sick. But before I can do anything with it, a knock sounds on the door and the girl freezes.

I follow her as she gets up and heads out of the room and down the hall, a bit irritated at whoever it was that interrupted me from doing my job. The girl answers the door and standing there is a boy a little older than her whose smile could put the sun to shame. The girl's eyes widen and she quickly bushes away her tears.

"Hey," she whispers.

"Hey yourself," he says back.

I'm surprised by the feeling of love that's coming off of both of them and reach over to touch the girl's forehead again to see who this boy is. Sifting through her memories, I discover he's been her best friend since they were eight. She has a crush on him but is afraid to tell him and when I touch the boy's head, I discover he feels the same.

I'd love to do something about that but love isn't my forte. However, I do see that he wants to cheer the girl up and decide to use that to my advantage.

"Tell her you're here to take her somewhere," I tell the boy.

"I'm here to take you somewhere," the boys says.

"Where are you going to take me?" The girl frowns.

"Don't tell her, it's a surprise," I say.

"It's a surprise," the boy says, smiling bigger, "Come on."

The girl isn't sure; she isn't in the mood to go trample though the snow. But deep down I sense the longing to do something fun, something to help her forget the troubles she's had to deal with lately.

"Go on," I urge her, "You can do it."

"Ok," the girl relents, "But it better not be anywhere stupid."

The boy grabs her hand and pulls her away from the house. I touch his forehead to put an image of the pond into his mind so he knows where he's going. They set off down the street and I follow them just to make sure that this turns out the way I want it to.

**Ik, no Jack. I was going to put him in this chapter, I really was, but then it got too long. I PROMISE *crosses my heart* that he'll be in the next one. Honest. **** Anyway, review and let me know what you think of this chapter! Ciao!**

**~Sunshine**


	4. Ch3: Jack Frost

**A/N I'm back! Did you guys miss me? I hope so, cuz I've got another chapter for you! Consider it my Christmas present to you, unless of course I write another one before. I'm so excited about Christmas! Love it, it's def my fave holiday. **

The pond is gorgeous, a shining oval of ice surrounded by green pine trees and freshly fallen snow. It's in a park not far from where the girl lives, maybe an eight minute walk. I hope the beauty all around and the memories connected to this place will help give the girl some joy to brighten her day.

The girl's walk is slowing as she and the boy get closer to the pond, like she's afraid to get to close. The boy pulls her to the very edge and steps out onto the ice.

"What are you doing?" The girl asks, confused.

"I'm skating, what else?" The boy answers, letting go of her hand so he can move around the pond, "Come join me."

"I don't have any skates, and neither do you!" The girl snaps.

I sigh; this girl is just determined to stay gloomy. I can sense that she wants to, she's just afraid that being happy will betray her mother. That with her death not that long ago, being happy will be like the girl never truly loved her mother.

"You don't need any," the boy says, coming over to her again, "Please?"

He takes her hands and smiles again, his eyes begging the girl to let go of her worries and join him in some mindless fun. I whisper words of encouragement to the girl, letting her know that her mother would want her to be happy. She looks torn but my words soon take effect.

"Alright," she relents, stepping out onto the ice, "Let's skate."

I smile as I watch the two teens slide around on the ice, laughing and playing around like they have no cares in the world. I snap my fingers and some green dust begins to encircle them, protecting their joy for as long as it can. It feels good to be able to help the girl forget her sorrows for just a bit, to be able to bring some light into her otherwise gloomy life.

This part of the job is the best, the knowledge that I just made someone's life better. This is what makes me get up after only three hours of sleep; this is what fuels me on even when I feel joy becoming less of a need in the modern world. It's mortals like that girl who are open to joy that make my job worth doing.

I turn away from the pond and start walking back through the town, taking time to enjoy it. Mortal children of all ages litter the yards on either side of me, playing in the snow and having a wonderful time. I blow green dust on them to make sure they enjoy this snowy day to the fullest, smiling at the joy they're producing.

I walk over to a small group of ten year olds who are building a snowman. They're trying to make it bigger than the snowman built by the older teens but they can't quite manage it. I giggle as I watch them unsuccessfully try to lift the huge middle ball onto the bottom one. Taking pity on them, I help them lift the mountain of rolled snow on top of the other.

"We did it!" The kids scream, laughing and hugging one another like they were given a million bucks.

"You're welcome," I say, grinning ear to ear at their delight.

I sprinkle each of them with green dust, escalating their happiness. They excitedly start rolling the snow for the snowman's head and I turn away to leave. The wind is pulling at me again, promising someone else who needs my help. I don't really want to leave this quant, happy town, but I know I've got a job to do.

I'm just about to let the wind take control when something hits me hard on the back of the head. Surprised and startled, I fall forward into the snow, getting a mouthful of cold wetness. Sitting up slowly, I reach back and rub my head, feeling for a knot. I don't feel any mark, but my head is ringing a bit from the force of the impact.

"SNOWBALL FIGHT!" Comes a yell from above me.

I look up in surprise and see a human form fly directly over me. I turn around and watch it land, getting a better view. It's a boy in his late teens with windblown snow white hair; a dark blue hoodie covered in frost, brown pants that look like they are hundreds of years old, and pale skin. He's also barefoot and holding a staff that's covered in frost as well.

Unfortunately I know exactly who it is. Jack Frost, Spirit of Winter.

I'm a bit annoyed that he chucked an ice ball at me but I don't make a big deal about it because I don't want to be noticed. I don't want to be recognized as another Spirit, I like being able to do my job without other Spirits interfering. I admit, I don't look like a mortal but Jack Frost is probably too stupid to tell the difference…that's what I'm hoping anyway.

He throws a couple of snowballs that explode in the kids' faces, releasing a blue dust that seems to put them under some sort of spell. The kids go crazy, throwing snowballs and ice balls while Jack Frost urges them on, laughing. I'm slowly inching away when a golden flash above Jack Frost's shoulder catches my eye.

It's a Caladium, one of my puppy-like helpers. Great, I think to myself, I'm basically encouraging Jack Frost to kill kids with snowballs because it makes him happy. It's always nice to know you're the source for your own pain but I guess that's how my job works. Bringing joy to people, even Spirits who's idea of joy is inflicting pain on other Spirits.

Then Jack Frost catches sight of me as I try to get away from the snowball fight. I'm a bit caught off guard by how blue his eyes are, I've never seen such a vivid blue before. The fact that he is also extremely attractive doesn't help my concentration and I trip, falling backwards into the snow. He takes this moment to form another ice ball in his hands and my stomach drops. It looks like I'm about to get hit by another one which isn't cool at all, no pun intended.

"I thought I hit you," he says, more to himself then me, "Why aren't you joining in?"

He breathes on the ice ball; giving it it's magical blue dust power to put mortals under the spell of Winter.

"You sure are one weirdly dressed teen girl," Jack Frost says before throwing the ball at me.

Something inside me snaps and I act without thinking. I snap my fingers and the ice ball melts in midair, inches from my face, the water falling to the ground. Again, Springtime powers come in handy although I have to admit I've never had to use them in this way before.

"I am not a teen girl!" I snap, "And I don't appreciate you chunking snowballs at me either!"

The look on his face is priceless. It's a mixture of shock, confusion, and maybe a little bit of awe but then I could be seeing things when it comes to the last one. I'm angry at myself for letting another Spirit, especially one like Jack Frost, know that I exist. If I had just left right after taking care of the girl at the pond, this wouldn't have happened. But no, I had to walk around and enjoy the town.

I'm mentally calling myself every kind of name I can think of while Jack Frost manages to get composed. He gives me an amused smile that nearly stops my heart (how on earth does he make his smile so…dazzling? Why on earth am I suddenly weak in the knees?) and leans against his staff.

"I see I've stumbled onto a fellow Sprit," he says, "Name's Jack Frost, Spirit of Winter, if that wasn't obvious."

I debate whether to tell him my name or just dash off and pretend like it never happened. It's tempting to just try and run away, but there's always the chance that Jack Frost would come after me. And what if he went and told the other Spirits that there was a new girl on the loose? And what if they came looking for me? That seems like way more problems than just coming clean to only one Spirit, even if that Spirit is Jack Frost.

"Bliss," I sigh, "My name's Bliss."

Jack Frost raises an eyebrow.

"Spirit of…?" He asks, but doesn't wait for an answer, "Or do you not know? Did the Man in the Moon forget to give his newest Spirit her duty?"

The bitterness in his voice surprises me. What could Jack Frost have against the Man in the Moon? I'm also a bit amused that he thinks I'm a new Spirit when I've actually been here about a hundred times longer than he has. But then, I haven't let any the Spirits know about me so I can't say I'm surprised.

"No," I say, "I was given a duty and-"

"Let me guess," he says, interrupting me, "You're the Spirit of Killjoy, right? That's why you destroyed my perfectly good snowball."

I frown at the grin he's sporting. Honestly. It might make him look stunning (where did that thought come from?) but the fact that he just insulted me makes me a bit angry.

"I'm not the Spirit of Killjoy!" I say, trying to keep my temper controlled. To be honest I didn't even know I had one, it's not like I have a lot of people in my existence I can get mad at.

"Ooohhh," Jack Frost says, "You've got a bit of an attitude."

"I do no-" I try to deny it, making my voice civil but I'm interrupted for the second time.

"Nothing wrong with having attitude," he says conversationally, "I have one so I've been told. And if I have one, then it must be a good thing. Be grateful you're lucky enough to have one, people without it are boring. What Spirit are you again?"

I pinch the bridge of my nose and tell myself not to overact. From the grin on his face I know he's doing this on purpose, he's trying to get under my skin. I can't give in and let him bother me, I can't let him win. I must stay cool and act like it isn't annoying me at all, even though I want to bang his head against a wall.

"I'm the Spirit of Joy and Springtime," I say proudly.

I'm not expecting him to bust out laughing. I narrow my eyes and grit my teeth as he bends over, laughing like a hyena and leaning heavily on his staff. I'm tempted to shove him to the ground and beat him with his own staff. The thought surprises me; I never realized I was so violent.

"Are you kidding?" He asks, standing up straight but still chuckling, "You? The Spirit of Joy? Man, the Man in the Moon should have just left you unmade. You don't seem very joyful."

"It's hard to be joyful around a joy sucker like you," I snap.

He raises his eyebrows and takes a step towards me. I back up two, barely managing to stay upright. He has a staff, I'm defenseless. I want to be a safe distance away in case he wants to beat the daylights out of me; the farther away I am the faster I can run in the opposite direction.

"For your information," he says, "I'm the person who really brings joy to mortals. You see these kids?"

He waves his hand at all the children having a snowball fight next to us.

"They're having fun. They're happy. They're joyful," he stresses the last word, "Winter makes people happy, not Spring. Don't even try to chase it away with your 'oh so joyful' warmth."

"I've been chasing Winter away with warmth longer then you've been alive!" I tell him.

Jack Frost looks confused; apparently I just robbed him of words again. Me and my big mouth, why couldn't I just have let it go? I could have just said, "See you later" and been gone. But no, I had to try and be a smart-alec and all it did was get me into trouble.

"Excuse me?" He asks, "I thought you were new."

"If you had stopped interrupting," I say, "You would have heard me say that I wasn't. I've been around for thousands of years, I am the first Spirit."

After a few moments of shocked silence, his humor resurfaces.

"Gee whiz Grandma," he mocks, "Is it safe for you to be out in this weather?"

I glare at him; the whole grandma thing was a low blow.

"Don't worry sonny," I smile, "The weather will soon change."

His blue eyes are sparkling with mischief, making them shine like two stars. I refuse to look him in the eye because I'm afraid I might never look away. How is he doing this to me? What exactly is this?

His answering smile is full of a challenge, and I wince at the thought that I might have just created a monster. I don't have time for childish pranks and it looks like that might be what he's planning. Or at least something along those lines.

"We'll see," he says, smiling smugly, "But I think this Winter might be one that no one will ever forget, they'll be talking about it long into your precious Springtime."

He winks at me, making my heart flutter to my extreme annoyance, then jumps into the air and flies away. I mutter some rude names for him under my breath before letting the wind carry me away to where I'm needed. Jack Frost is a pain in the butt, a pain I don't need.

What did I get myself into, telling him who I was? What had I been thinking?

**Yeah, that's a rather long chapter. The longest so far actually. And yes, Jack is finally in the story! Did you think he entered the story in a good day? To be honest I laughed while writing it. Haha! Did you laugh? Review and let me know what you thought!**

**~Sunshine**


	5. Ch4: Blizzard

**A/N Wow. I am so sry it's been so long! I have a list of excuses: sickness, moving, writer's block, but I know that doesn't make it any better. I was a complete and utter jerk for not putting a note up letting you guys know what was going on. Please, my dear readers, find it in your hearts to forgive my stupidity. I'm trying to bribe you guys with another chapter, the longest so far. Please accept this peace offering.**

**Disclaimer: Yeah, I noticed I wasn't doing this. SRY! *clears throat* I do not own Jack or the Guardians. I just own Bliss. Thank you.**

It's been four days since Jack Frost discovered me. Four days since he issued his, "This Winter will never be forgotten" challenge. It seems to me like he's gone out of his way to make sure that happens. The temperature has rapidly dropped and already American weather men are saying it may be one of the coldest winters in years. So far he has only stuck to making America colder, probably can't do the whole world, but one country is enough to throw me off balance.

Every five seconds there's a new blizzard or snow storm showing up somewhere and I'm left trying to fix the problems that they cause. Kids think this is great, they don't have to go to school, but adults are freaking out. I've had to work overtime to keep the spirits up for people over the age of fifteen; everyone younger doesn't seem to mind.

I've been tempted several times the past four days to hunt down Jack Frost and give him a piece of my mind. It's not exactly very Spirit-like of me but I just can't help it! It's very irritating to have my whole schedule thrown off balance because one Spirit feels like he has to get the best of me. I'd love to melt all this ridiculous snow but I know I can't. It's not time for Spring and bringing it early would only confuse the mortals.

I take a deep breath of air, wincing as the sharp cold burns down my airway. It's so cold out that even my naturally warm body is feeling it. I'm still in America, I like to stay in one place during my week of work, but this cold is getting harder and harder to take. I don't like the cold; I don't like the snow that's piled up all around me. It's only the mortals I must help that keep me here; otherwise I would leave without a backwards glance. They're the reason I've spent thousands of years on this earth, the reason why I exist. I owe it to them not to abandon ship at the first sign of trouble.

I'm watching ten children, all around the age of seven; swarm their teacher who is getting them ready to go to a small coffee shop close by their school. They're so excited to have a 'field trip' and their sweet smiles make my heart melt. They live in a poor part of town and getting to go anywhere to eat is a big deal, and a coffee shop with pastries and sweets is the greatest thing ever in their eyes.

I'm standing in front of a window, watching from outside their classroom to make sure everything goes according to plan for them. I would hate it if something was to happen and they couldn't do this one little thing, if those adorable smiles were to disappear. These children need joy, they have precious little in their daily lives. If making sure they make it to a coffee shop safely is all I have to do to bring joy into their hearts, I'll do it with all that's inside of me. They're depending on me, even if they don't know it.

Suddenly the hair on the back of my neck stands up as the air starts to rapidly cool, turning a cold winter day into an artic freeze. The wind starts to pick up, freezing anyone dumb enough to still be outside to the bone. My body starts to shiver and I wish that I had some sort of fluffy coat, a wish that has never before crossed my mind.

I wrap my arms around myself and land, the wind making it too hard to float. I can barely see into the classroom now, my rather short height bothering me for the first time in a long time. I peek in and am horrified to see another teacher talking to the first, gesturing outside with a worried look on his face. The first teacher looks outside and her face falls, taking in the strong wind and glancing over at their thermometer which says the temperature is somewhere below zero.

She looks back at the kids and winces, and I know that she's going to call off the visit to the coffee shop.

"No!" I yell, "Not now!"

The first teacher kneels down till she's eye level with the kids. She smiles sadly and puts her hands on two shoulders. Her mouth moves and I watch the kids, their smiles starting to slip and their eyes starting to fill with tears. My heart clenches when I feel how deep their sorrow runs and I can't believe how close I was to helping them.

I turn away from the window and stomp my foot against the snow. Stupid weather! Stupid, good for nothing, cold weather! I can't believe I failed those kids. I thought I had it! I thought I would be able to help them! I thought it was going to be ok! But no, reality apparently doesn't like me very much right now because it stepped in my way, bringing all my plans to a halt.

There are always times when I fail; I can't have it my way all the time. But I really wanted this to work…and it hurts to think I wasn't able to help. It hurts to think that all that's standing in front of me is the weather, nature, something that I can normally control. I normally don't interfere with nature but I think I'll have to make an exception today.

I hold my hands out and close my eyes, trying to raise the temperature just a bit but I can't. Something is working against me. I open my eyes and look around, trying to find the source of my opposition, but I see nothing. Frustrated I walk away from the school, heading to the edge of town, still searching for whatever it is that is holding back my warmth.

I haven't gone far when I see it. A huge mass of ice cold winds and snow is swirling just outside of town, building in strength. I raise my hands once again and blast it with warmth, giving it all I've got. But nothing happens. The storm cloud refuses to be bothered by my attempts to destroy it.

I stare at it, shocked that nothing happened. I've taken on blizzards before, there's nothing new to that, and won. What is going on here? Blizzards are just a product of nature; they don't have the power to defy my warmth! That goes against everything they are! The only way a blizzard could be unaffected is if my power is gone, which it's not, or if someone else is sustaining it.

Someone with powers over winter. Someone who can control ice storms and blizzards. Someone who is out to mess with me.

Someone very much like Jack Frost.

I clench my teeth and think some very nasty things about the stupid Winter Boy. I throw up my hands and blast the blizzard one more time, desperately trying to rid the town of it. I give everything I've got, the rest of my powers that I was saving to use to finish off the week. I want to make those kids happy, even if it's the last thing I do this week. Even if using this much power puts me in a coma for months. I want to at least try.

The last ounce of power drains from my body and I collapse into the snow, entirely spent. The last time I was this spent was right after I was created, when I was still learning how to control myself. For the first time in a couple thousand years, I have no power inside me at all. The feeling is cold and empty; I miss my warmth that usually resides safely inside. I miss the tingle of power in my veins, reminding me of my duty. They duty I swore The Man in the Moon I would do with all I have.

I wrap my arms around myself and stand up shakily, blinking the spots out of my eyes in order to see if the blizzard is still gathering. When I catch sigh of the whirling funnel of cold wind and snow, I feel my knees give out and I fall to the snow once again. All my power, all my strength, hasn't helped at all. The blizzard is still there, still strong, still tearing apart everything I have worked so hard to do in this town.

It hurts. It hurts so much to know that I failed. I haven't failed this hard in many, many, many years. It's humbling and heartbreaking all at the same time. I'm not all powerful, I can't always win. Spring does have to bow to winter sometimes; I do have to kneel to the power of Jack Frost. The realization infuriates me. I can't believe that Jack Frost, a complete jerk not to mention an extremely young Spirit, has bested me. Me! The very first spirit to be created, the very first spirit to walk this earth, the very first spirit to help mortals, the one who had no life other than this!

"It must be the age," a voice says behind me, "Grandma's losing her powers, eh?"

My head spins around, searching for the mocking voice that I instantly recognize. The sight of him leaning against a tree, not five feet from me, twirling his staff with a huge grin on his face makes me want to murder him. I honestly want to see him dead and the thought rather scares me. I'm the Spirit of Joy; I'm not supposed to be feeling this anger. It's not natural. It's not right. The fact that he's the reason I'm feeling this just makes me angrier but I can't let him know how much he's bothering me. I'm the older one, I must act mature. I must be the wise guiding Spirit I was created to be.

"Jack Frost," I greet him, keeping my voice calm and controlled.

He laughs and pushes himself off the tree and walks over to where I'm sitting. He leans over and offers me his hand, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Come on Gram, let me help you up."

His self-satisfied smirk nearly sends me over the edge. Stay cool, I chant to myself over and over, don't let him win. I have never had this kind of trouble before; I have always managed to keep a clear and calm head. It galls me that he can so easily destroy thousands of years of work.

"No thank you," I snap, "I am perfectly capable of getting up on my own."

"Oh, of course," Jack Frost says, straightening up and backing away.

I ignore the grin on his face and push myself up, my knees still weak. I wobble and I throw my arms out to try and regain some balance but they do no good. Before I can blink, I'm down in the snow again, my backside sore. I'm stuck between crying and screaming when loud snickers catch my attention. I turn and glare at Winter Boy who's making no effort to hide his mirth.

He moves forward to grab my arm and I jerk it away, unable to stomach his help. He ignores me and grabs both my arms, pulling me up. Once I'm on my feet, his arm slips around my waist and holds me up, giving my legs a chance to recover.

"You're welcome," he says cheerfully, like it isn't his fault I ended up like this to begin with.

"Thanks," I say icily, "Thanks for destroying my work, exhausting my power, and then helping me up afterwards. Your kindness amazes me."

The frigidness of my voice surprises him and it surprises me too. I have never used that tone of voice, never! What's happening to me? Why am I so angry?

He recovers from his surprise and rolls his eyes.

"Look Gram, it's not my fault you went all crazy and tried to blast my blizzard. Next time, don't mess with things you don't have power over."

"I had to!" I yell, making him wince.

"Watch it!" He says, frowning at me, "You just about killed my eardrums. You don't have to scream, I can hear you just fine."

I breathe out through my nose and try to calm myself down a bit. I take a deep breath and close my eyes, trying to relax. The feeling of such intense anger is completely foreign to me and I'm not quite sure how to handle it.

"I had to," I say again, this time quieter, "You're blizzard is ruining my work!"

"How on earth is it ruining your work?" He asks, looking at me like I'm crazy, "It's not even spring yet."

I snort.

"Don't play innocent! You've been stalking me trying to prove that winter is better than spring! You've been purposely doing things to make my job harder hoping to throw me off so I won't be able to focus on spring when it arrives! Don't deny it!"

He looks at me, studying my face slowly. Then he busts out laughing. I grit my teeth and push away, finally able to stand without his help and disgusted by his touch. The feelings of rage bubble inside and it's all I can do not to claw at his face.

"Stop laughing!" I tell him, my voice getting less angry and more desperate as I rein in my anger, "It's not funny! You're not just affecting me; you're affecting the humans! You're supposed to be a Spirit; Spirits help humans, not harm them! All you're doing by bothering me is harming them! Please, please, stop!"

He stops laughing and stares at me.

"I'm not purposely trying to interfere with your work!" He says, and at my look of disbelief continues, "I mean, yeah, I've been working extra hard to keep America especially cold but believe me, I was just as surprised as you to find you here. Honest."

The look of sincerity in his eyes makes me believe him, even though I don't want to. My shoulders slump and my anger flees, leaving me cold, weak, and empty. I'm ashamed that in my moment of weakness, without my power that keeps me sane, that reminds me who I am, I turned to anger to fuel me. I can't do that. Anger is a dark emotion, a wrong emotion and I, as a pure Spirit, shouldn't be allowing myself to use it.

Taking another deep breath I then expel it slowly, calming my mind and allowing peace to return. I'm still empty but at least now I won't be turning to a dark emotion. I hold onto the calmness inside and look up at Jack Frost, trying not to hold it against him that it's his fault I allowed anger to take a hold. Resentment isn't any better than anger. Being annoyed by someone is one thing, letting anger for that person take over is quite another.

"I believe you," I say slowly, "I'm sorry for getting angry. I lose control of my emotions when I'm powerless."

That's the reason I make sure to rest every week and build my power up again. I can't allow this to happen. Dark emotions destroy pure Spirits, turning them into Demons. I have seen it happen, I should know better.

"Don't worry about it Gram," Jack Frost says, his carefree attitude returning, "I get it, you're old age is making you crabby. It's ok, I forgive you."

I feel my eye twitch and I swallow hard, trying to keep control of the calmness inside. Why does he have to do that? Why does he have to push me like that? It's like he is trying to make me lose control! Honestly, doesn't he know what happens when a Spirit gives in to dark emotions once too many times?

"Thank you," I say, as graciously as I can.

I turn to walk away, not able to muster enough strength to fly yet. It looks like I'm going to have to sleep down here, a prospect I'm not looking forward to.

"Hey, Gram!" He calls out from behind me.

I turn back and raise my eyebrows in question. He gestures to the blizzard and when I look at it, I notice that it's starting to lose power. I watch, wide eyed, until it fades all together. The sky clears and the sun once again is out, trying to warm the freezing world. I look back at Jack Frost and he's looking at me with a smirk.

"Didn't want you to worry," he said, "Worry is bad for women at such an advanced as yourself."

He winks, still grinning, then turns and flies away. I watch him go until I can no longer see his blue hoodie. Turning once again back towards the town, I start to make my way through the snow. It's not as cold now that the blizzard is gone and my natural warmth is starting to heat my body again. I don't look forward to sleeping down here, but I know I'll manage.

The day has ended up not being as awful as I had thought it would be when I first realized I had failed. Sure, Winter Boy had caused me no end of trouble, but at least no one was really hurt by it. He was irritating, but that wouldn't kill me. I would just have to learn to get used to him and his infuriating habit of driving me crazy without getting angry.

Jack's face, grinning as he dismantles the blizzard, pops into my mind and I suddenly feel warm inside. It's a warmth completely different from the one I'm used to. I briefly wonder what's wrong with me, if perhaps the anger has affected my mind, but then his twinkling blue eyes fill my thoughts and everything else lessens in comparison.

**A/N So, did my peace offering work? Let me know! I know I don't deserve any reviews, but…I would still really like some…just one? Please? *puppy eyes* **

**~Sunshine**


End file.
